We Need To Talk About Ones And Zeroes

Here's Gemini's explanation of how proprietary software can affect streamer output. It's a little more complicated than 1s and 0s. 

Here is a more technically detailed explanation of how proprietary software in digital streamers can influence the digital output and, consequently, music reproduction.

1. Advanced Jitter Mitigation Strategies:

Adaptive Clocking Algorithms: Proprietary software can implement sophisticated adaptive clocking algorithms. These algorithms continuously analyze the incoming digital audio stream and dynamically adjust the output clock frequency to minimize jitter introduced by the source, network, or the streamer's internal processing. This can involve phase-locked loops (PLLs) or other frequency synthesis techniques controlled by software to provide a more stable and accurate timing reference for the DAC. Reduced jitter translates to improved transient response, clearer stereo imaging (due to more precise timing of left and right channel information), and a less "smeared" or "grainy" sonic texture.

Packet Jitter Compensation: In network streaming scenarios (e.g., Ethernet, Wi-Fi), audio data is transmitted in packets. Variations in the arrival time of these packets (packet jitter) can lead to timing inconsistencies at the DAC. Proprietary software can employ advanced buffering and re-clocking mechanisms to smooth out these arrival time variations, ensuring a more consistent and stable data stream reaches the DAC. This can result in a more stable and less fatiguing listening experience, particularly with high-resolution audio.

2. Optimized Data Path and Noise Management:

Kernel-Level Optimizations: The operating system kernel and device drivers within the streamer's software stack play a crucial role in data flow. Proprietary software can involve custom kernel configurations and highly optimized drivers specifically tailored for audio processing. This can minimize latency, reduce CPU overhead, and ensure a more direct and less noisy data path to the digital output interface (e.g., USB, S/PDIF, AES/EBU). A cleaner data path reduces the potential for digital noise to contaminate the audio signal, leading to a lower noise floor and better dynamic range in the reproduced music. Subtle details and nuances in the recording become more apparent.

Resource Prioritization and Isolation: Real-time operating system (RTOS) principles or carefully managed process prioritization within the streamer's software can ensure that audio-related tasks receive preferential treatment in terms of CPU cycles and memory access. This can prevent other system processes from introducing timing variations or noise into the audio stream. Furthermore, software can manage power states of various hardware components to minimize electromagnetic interference (EMI) that could potentially couple into the audio circuitry.

3. Format-Specific Processing and Output Stage Control:

Optimized Decoding and Rendering Pipelines: Proprietary software can incorporate highly optimized decoding libraries for various audio codecs (e.g., FLAC, ALAC, DSD). These libraries can be fine-tuned for the specific hardware architecture of the streamer, potentially leading to lower processing overhead and more accurate data extraction. For DSD playback, for instance, proprietary software might implement specific DoP (DSD over PCM) or native DSD output methods that are optimized for the connected DAC, potentially affecting the sonic characteristics of DSD reproduction (e.g., perceived smoothness or detail).

Digital Output Stage Parameter Control: In some integrated streamer-DAC solutions or through proprietary communication protocols, the software might offer control over parameters of the digital output stage. This could include adjustments to the output voltage swing, impedance matching, or even dither algorithms applied to the digital signal before it reaches the DAC. These parameters can subtly influence the signal-to-noise ratio and the overall sonic presentation.

4. Error Detection and Correction:

Robust Data Integrity Checks: While less common for real-time streaming, proprietary software might implement advanced error detection and correction mechanisms, particularly for locally stored files or during network transfers. This can help ensure the integrity of the digital audio data and prevent subtle artifacts or dropouts caused by data corruption.

Impact on Music Reproduction:

The cumulative effect of these software-driven optimizations can manifest in several aspects of music reproduction:

Clarity and Detail: Reduced jitter and noise contribute to a clearer and more transparent sound, allowing for the retrieval of finer details and nuances in the recording.

Imaging and Soundstage: Precise timing and minimal crosstalk (often influenced by noise) lead to more accurate placement of instruments and vocals within the stereo image, creating a more holographic and immersive soundstage.

Transient Response: Accurate clocking and efficient data handling result in faster and more precise reproduction of percussive sounds and the attack of musical notes, contributing to a more dynamic and engaging listening experience.

Timbral Accuracy: By minimizing distortions and noise, the unique tonal characteristics of instruments and voices are reproduced more faithfully.

Overall Coherence and Musicality: When all these factors are optimized, the music tends to sound more coherent, natural, and emotionally engaging.

It's important to reiterate that the audibility of these software-driven differences can be subjective and highly dependent on the quality of the entire audio system, the listener's sensitivity, and the specific implementation of the proprietary software. However, from an engineering perspective, well-designed software can indeed play a significant role in optimizing the digital audio output of a streamer and, consequently, the quality of music reproduction.

 Variations in the arrival time of these packets (packet jitter) can lead to timing inconsistencies at the DAC

How? That's the streamer's job. It doesn't matter when the packets arrive if they are not late and are buffered. 

The analog output sections in DACS have a huge effect on the final sound quality of the digital sources. The quality of the transformers & other parts used as well as the circuit board’s & physical candy’s including their feet & isolation capabilities all can have a substantial effect on the final sound quality . This is all after the 1’s & 0’s have arrived. 

I was trying to make my original post both polite and sensitive to various points of view, but it seems I mostly tripped over my own feet.

My goal, or wish if you will, would be that folks who haven’t yet had the opportunity to educate themselves on the fundamentals of digital audio do so, so as to know what is possible vs what isn’t, and what makes sense vs what doesn’t, instead of slapping long-held analog-related beliefs on digital where they don’t belong.

I think it is emblematic of the problem when a clearly intelligent and learned individual accepts and propagates, doubtlessly in good faith, falsehoods about digital within this community and more importantly for themselves, those beliefs may lead them to make unnecessary and / or wasteful purchases.

A lot of folks seem to confuse digital files (made of ones and zeroes) with digital signal (the analog waveform representations of said ones and zeroes on transmission lines) and undesirable (but analog) noise that might travel along over said transmission lines.

Looks like a number of folks agree that the digital audio file that "lands" in your streamer is an exact, bit-perfect copy of the file Qobuz sent you, and of the file coming out of your CD or SACD of the same, assuming resolutions match and they originate from the same master.

In other words: Despite the horrors it traversed through AWS facilities, your digital audio file has suffered absolutely zero degradation or ill effect whatsoever on its journey to your home, explaining why audiophiles largely consider streaming equal in sound quality to traditional digital sources such as the aforementioned CD/SACD, local audio files on a NAS, or DAT transports if you’re into that.

Now, how would Ethernet gear located in the last 10 or 20 feet (aka your home) of that file’s 3000-mile journey somehow manage to compromise it where AWS itself failed?

Why would a simple $18 Monoprice Ethernet switch affect a digital audio file unaffected by a trip through hundreds of super-noisy industrial-grade switches...?

What can reasonably be hoped to be achieved by swapping in a $700 "audiophile" switch, all power supplies being equal?

If that $700 switch sounds better to your ears, I respect that, and I would prefer all the stuff about confirmation bias, sunk-cost fallacy, misery-loves-company, etc. be left out of this thread. It would be really interesting, however, to understand how a device that does nothing but send network packets on their way can favorably impact sound quality.

 hundreds of AWS’s super-noisy industrial-grade switches

I am curious what you mean by this?